The AHA today urged the Occupational Safety and Health Administration not to finalize its emergency temporary standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19, saying it continues to oppose establishing new regulations that are not fully aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s evolving evidence-based guidance.

“With the constantly evolving, science-based CDC guidance and recommendations, CMS’ vaccination requirement and existing OSHA general standards, we strongly believe that an inconsistent and overly strict OSHA COVID-19 health care standard is not necessary, would cause confusion and will ultimately lower hospital employees’ morale and worsen unprecedented personnel shortages in hospitals,” AHA wrote. “It is essential to a well-functioning health care system that only one set of science-based standards be applied to health care providers, and that these standards be aligned across federal agencies.”

OSHA last month requested additional comments on certain topics in its interim final rule, and announced an informal public hearing beginning April 27 to gather additional information from stakeholders as it develops a final rule.

Related News Articles

Headline
A replay of the Hospital Capacity Management Consortium’s Spring Symposium is now available. The event, for health care capacity management professionals,…
Headline
The Department of Health and Human Services May 13 announced a 60-day public comment period opened for stakeholders regarding its request for information to…
Headline
The AHA May 12 responded to the Office of Management and Budget's April 11 request for information on regulatory relief, making 100 suggestions to the Trump…
Headline
A blog by the AHA and Press Ganey shares insights from leaders of seven health care systems on balancing the demands of delivering personalized, high-quality…
Headline
A study published April 8 by the Public Library of Science’s Journal of Global Public Health found that driving while infected with COVID-19 raises the risk of…
Headline
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today released a notice seeking public comment on the collection of information request regarding the State…